In-situ additive channeled implants

Abstract

A method for growing a channeled spinal implant in situ, using a surgical additive-manufacturing system having a dispensing component, and implants formed thereby. The method can include positioning the dispensing component at least partially within an interbody space, between a first patient vertebra and a second patient vertebra, and maneuvering, in an applying step, the dispensing component within the interbody space and depositing, by the dispensing component, printing material on or adjacent the first vertebra. The applying step includes maneuvering the dispensing component and applying the printing material selectively to form an outer surface of the implant having a channel opening and to form an interior of the implant having at least one elongate channel extending to the opening.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. An additive-manufacturing system for forming a spinal implant, comprising
 a dispensing subsystem including:
 at least one control arm connected to at least one dispensing component, the at least one dispensing component including a lumen configured to dispense printing material; and 
 a material-actuating subsystem including a provisioning component and at least two material sources, the at least two material sources containing printing material and the provisioning component being configured to control flow of the printing material through the dispensing component; 
 
 a robotics subsystem configured to maneuver the at least one dispensing component; and 
 a controller apparatus having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing in-situ-growing instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
 selectively control the material-actuating subsystem to pump the printing material to the at least one dispensing component based on the in-situ-growing instructions; and 
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the at least one dispensing component for selectively dispensing the printing material based on the in-situ-growing instructions; 
 
 wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to:
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the lumen of the at least one dispensing component within an interbody space, at least partly, the interbody space being between a first patient vertebra and a second patient vertebra; and 
 selectively control the material-actuating subsystem to selectively deposit the printing material on or adjacent the first vertebra to form a spinal implant; 
 
 wherein the spinal implant comprises at least two surfaces, each surface having an opening; and 
 wherein at least one elongate channel is disposed in an interior of the implant that extends between each said opening. 
 
     
     
       2. The additive-manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to selectively control the dispensing subsystem and robotics subsystem to selectively deposit the printing material contiguously from against the first vertebra to against the second vertebra. 
     
     
       3. The additive-manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to selectively control the dispensing subsystem and robotics subsystem to selectively deposit a first layer of a first type of printing material chosen from the at least two material sources and to selectively deposit a second layer of a second type of printing material chosen from the at least two material sources on the first layer. 
     
     
       4. An additive-manufacturing system for forming a spinal implant, comprising
 a dispensing subsystem including:
 at least one control arm connected to at least one dispensing component, the at least one dispensing component including a lumen configured to dispense printing material; and 
 a material-actuating subsystem including a provisioning component and at least two material sources, the at least two material sources containing printing material and the provisioning component being configured to control flow of the printing material through the dispensing component; 
 
 a robotics subsystem configured to maneuver the at least one dispensing component and 
 a controller apparatus having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing in-situ-growing instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
 selectively control the material-actuating subsystem to pump the printing material to the at least one dispensing component based on the in-situ-growing instructions; and 
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the at least one dispensing component for selectively dispensing the printing material based on the in-situ-growing instructions; 
 
 wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to:
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the lumen of the at least one dispensing component within an interbody space, at least partly, the interbody space being between a first patient vertebra and a second patient vertebra; and 
 selectively control the dispensing subsystem to selectively deposit the printing material on or adjacent the first vertebra to form a spinal implant; 
 
 wherein the spinal implant comprises an outer surface having a channel opening; and 
 wherein an interior of the implant comprises at least two elongate channels, the two elongate channels connecting to each other and at least one of the two channels extending to the channel opening. 
 
     
     
       5. An additive-manufacturing system for forming a spinal implant, comprising
 a dispensing subsystem including:
 at least one control arm connected to at least one dispensing component, the at least one dispensing component including a lumen configured to dispense printing material; and 
 a material-actuating subsystem including a provisioning component and at least two material sources, the at least two material sources containing printing material and the provisioning component being configured to control flow of the printing material through the dispensing component; 
 
 a robotics subsystem configured to maneuver the at least one dispensing component and 
 a controller apparatus having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing in-situ-growing instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
 selectively control the material-actuating subsystem to pump the printing material to the at least one dispensing component based on the in-situ-growing instructions; and 
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the at least one dispensing component for selectively dispensing the printing material based on the in-situ-growing instructions; 
 
 wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to:
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the lumen of the at least one dispensing component within an interbody space, at least partly, the interbody space being between a first patient vertebra and a second patient vertebra; and 
 selectively control the dispensing subsystem to selectively deposit the printing material on or adjacent the first vertebra to form a spinal implant,
 wherein the spinal implant comprises an outer surface having a channel opening, and 
 wherein an interior of the implant comprises at least one elongate channel extending to the channel opening. 
 
 
 
     
     
       6. The additive-manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to control the provisioning component based on dispensing-component movement data to control a rate at which the printing material is dispensed. 
     
     
       7. The additive-manufacturing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first dispensing component and a second dispensing component, wherein the at least one dispensing component includes the first and second dispensing components. 
     
     
       8. An additive-manufacturing system for forming a spinal implant, comprising
 a dispensing subsystem including:
 at least one control arm connected to at least one dispensing component, the at least one dispensing component including a lumen configured to dispense printing material; and 
 a material-actuating subsystem including a provisioning component and at least two material sources, the at least two material sources containing printing material and the provisioning component being configured to control flow of the printing material through the dispensing component; 
 
 a robotics subsystem configured to maneuver the at least one dispensing component and 
 a controller apparatus having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing in-situ-growing instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
 selectively control the material-actuating subsystem to pump the printing material to the at least one dispensing component based on the in-situ-growing instructions; and 
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the at least one dispensing component for selectively dispensing the printing material based on the in-situ-growing instructions; 
 
 a first dispensing component and a second dispensing component, wherein the at least one dispensing component includes the first and second dispensing components; 
 wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to: 
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the lumen of the at least one dispensing component within an interbody space, at least partly, the interbody space being between a first patient vertebra and a second patient vertebra; and 
 selectively control the dispensing subsystem to selectively deposit the printing material on or adjacent the first vertebra to form a spinal implant, 
 wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to form the spinal implant by selectively controlling the dispensing subsystem to: 
 selectively deposit a first layer of a first type of printing material chosen from the at least two material sources by passing the first type of printing material through the first dispensing component; and 
 selectively deposit a second layer of a second type of printing material chosen from the at least two material sources on the first layer by passing the first type of printing material through the second dispensing component. 
 
     
     
       9. The additive-manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing subsystem comprises a first lumen and a second lumen through which a first printing material and a second printing material are passed, respectively, the first and second printing materials being chosen from the at least two material sources. 
     
     
       10. The additive-manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller apparatus further configured to control at least one of the dispensing subsystem and the robotics subsystem to apply a catalyst to the printing material dispensed by the at least one dispensing material, the catalyst being selected from a group consisting of: an additive material, an adhesive material, a curing material, and energy. 
     
     
       11. An additive-manufacturing system for forming a spinal implant, comprising
 a dispensing subsystem including:
 at least one control arm connected to at least one dispensing component, the at least one dispensing component including a lumen configured to dispense printing material; and 
 a material-actuating subsystem including a provisioning component and at least two material sources, the at least two material sources containing printing material and the provisioning component being configured to control flow of the printing material through the dispensing component; 
 
 a robotics subsystem configured to maneuver the at least one dispensing component and 
 a controller apparatus having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing in-situ-growing instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
 selectively control the material-actuating subsystem to pump the printing material to the at least one dispensing component based on the in-situ-growing instructions; and 
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the at least one dispensing component for selectively dispensing the printing material based on the in-situ-growing instructions; 
 
 wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to: 
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the lumen of the at least one dispensing component within an interbody space, at least partly, the interbody space being between a first patient vertebra and a second patient vertebra; and 
 selectively control the dispensing subsystem to selectively deposit the printing material on or adjacent the first vertebra to form a spinal implant,
 wherein the spinal implant comprises an exterior surface including a plurality of openings. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The additive-manufacturing system of  claim 2 , wherein two openings are disposed on opposing sides of the exterior surface of the implant, the two openings being connected by an elongated channel. 
     
     
       13. The additive-manufacturing system of  claim 12 , wherein the elongated channel includes a bent section transitioning the channel from a first direction to a second direction. 
     
     
       14. An additive-manufacturing system for forming a spinal implant, comprising
 a dispensing subsystem including:
 at least one control arm connected to at least one dispensing component, the at least one dispensing component including a lumen configured to dispense printing material; and 
 a material-actuating subsystem including a provisioning component and at least two material sources, the at least two material sources containing printing material and the provisioning component being configured to control flow of the printing material through the dispensing component; 
 
 a robotics subsystem configured to maneuver the at least one dispensing component and 
 a controller apparatus having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing in-situ-growing instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
 selectively control the material-actuating subsystem to pump the printing material to the at least one dispensing component based on the in-situ-growing instructions; and 
 selectively control the robotics subsystem to maneuver the at least one dispensing component for selectively dispensing the printing material based on the in-situ-growing instructions; 
 
 wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to: 
 selectively control the dispensing subsystem and robotics subsystem to maneuver the lumen of the at least one dispensing component within an interbody space between a first patient vertebra and a second patient vertebra and deposit the printing material within the interbody space to form a spinal implant including at least two openings connected by an elongate channel; and 
 selectively control the dispensing subsystem and robotics subsystem to maneuver the lumen of the at least one dispensing component and deposit the printing material to form an extra-discal-space component.